Is the United States behind efforts to break Iraq into tiny pieces, and are there Iraqi officials helping them do it? According to this op-ed article from Iraq's Arabic-language Azzaman newspaper, many in the country believe the fix is in on splitting the country apart, the only question being whether there will be 3 states, 10 states, 50 states ...

In
convenient installments … American officials take turns in the game of
statements … one makes a statement, and one sings … one denies, and one confirms …
until - according to these statements - it has become fashionable and even
necessary for Iraq to be divided into smaller states … until we are called the United
States of Iraq - the state of Mosul … the state of Baghdad … the state of Basra
… a state stretching from Trebil to Khanaqin … and another state stretching
from the Euphrates to the Hamarein mountains. And among these large states … we
will have smaller ones, bringing us to 50 states … meaning we are becoming like
the United States of America. We will come to have a white palace … and a Pentagon
… and a Pharaoh … and a first lady. The matter is very easy … Baghdad might be
splintered into 10 states … Bab al-Sharqi state … Bab al-Mu'adham state …
al-Senk state … al-Batawin state … Zayuna state … al-Karada state … Bazayiz
al-Salikh state … Kasra-wa-'Atash state … Jarf al-Nadaf state … Saya al-Fallah
state.

And when
the frog gets bigger and becomes like the elephant … the result is clear to be
seen … but the followers of federalism don't understand, and the adherents of
pluralism don't comprehend, and the supporters of democracy don't think, and
the sprouts' supporters are getting worn out. [Those seeking a unified Iraq are getting tired].

[Senator]
Joseph Biden - remember his name - for this American will be the sponsor of a divided
Iraq. He is dissatisfied with the old British policy that redrew the Ottoman
borders, and instead of three states he wants there to be 30 states … or 50
states. And according to another theory that has been raised … this is as good
as finished.

The
spokesperson for the White House rejected Mr. Biden's suggestions. He said that
President Bush - God keep him and watch over him - doesn't want to divide Iraq,
and that he is holding on to the vision of Iraq as set out in the Security
Council resolution, which called for a federal Iraq … democratic … pluralist …
transparent … unified.

And
speaking of transparency … the politicians in Iraq are not dealing with this
news in a transparent manner. They left Mr. Salah Abdul Jabar [aide to Prime
Minister-designate Nuri al-Maliki] on his own to defend a unified Iraq … and if
we all knew why, we would not be pleased … because some of the new partisans of
separatism simply want to expand the number of positions in these anticipated
new states for their children and grandchildren.

The policy
of dividing up what has been divided … and breaking into parts what has already
been broken … and shattering Iraq into tiny pieces scattered in the American
sky … and on the White House lawn … and in the hall of the Pentagon … is a real
policy now being pursued. There are those who are helped by it … and there are
those who are pushing for it … and there are those who are engineering it.